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Rockies confident with Rosario as catcher

Rockies confident with Rosario as catcher

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Rosario's tough grab 0:25

7/14/13: Wilin Rosario chases down a pop fly to the netting in foul territory and makes a tough catch to retire Andre Ethier

By Thomas Harding
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MLB.com |

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Rockies vice president of Major League operations Bill Geivett said Monday that the team's reported pursuit of veteran catchers did not create hard feelings with incumbent catcher Wilin Rosario.

It was widely reported that the Rockies approached Carlos Ruiz before he re-signed with the Phillies, and they made a bid for Brian McCann before watching him sign with the Yankees. But Geivett said any pursuit of catching was not to push Rosario down on the depth chart or change his primary position, but to create ways to keep his bat in the lineup. The team is going a different route: The signing of left-handed-hitting Justin Morneau to a two-year contract to play first base should become official this week. Rosario would have the opportunity to play first base, with Jordan Pacheco catching, against left-handed pitching.

"We've told Wilin he's our catcher," Geivett said. "Although there were a lot of reports of Ruiz or whatever, it was never a situation where we were actually moving his position."

Manager Walt Weiss said it's possible that Rosario could play some outfield, but the priority is making him competent at first base when not catching. Rosario has played five games at first base the last two seasons.

"We're not ruling out that he can run around in the outfield, either, but you can't just fire a guy out there," Weiss said. "But first base he's done before. He's got to get better there, too. But I think he can be serviceable over there to get his bat in the lineup on certain days."

Thomas Harding is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @harding_at_mlb. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.